Surviving These Unfair Scenarios [LITRPG - DIMENSION HOPPING]

The air, previously thick with tension and the residual echoes of a desperate battle, now hung silent, heavy with a new, unnatural stillness. Time itself had ceased its relentless march. Drake, poised mid-strike, Mecha Sun Ja-In with his mechanical fist drawn back, and Jeongu Kim with blades inches from Adam's throat —all were frozen, monuments to a fight caught in an instant. Only Adam moved, his body free, his smile a chilling counterpoint to the suspended chaos around him. He lowered his arm, his movements deliberate, relishing in the absolute silence that had descended upon Celestia Sanctum's main plaza.

The sky, once clear and beautiful, now bled a deeper, more profound black. It was not the familiar darkness of night, but a void born of a violated concept, as if the very idea of "sky" had shattered and been drained of its essence. Then, the enormous fracture hanging directly above the plaza began to pulse. It wasn't a tear in space, nor a mere portal, but a wound in reality itself, expanding slowly and deliberately, like a waking eye.

A grotesque, pale, mask-like face with chilling red eyes peered through the widening gap. Its features were ancient and alien, a visage of pure, unadulterated madness given form. Long, skeletal fingers, tipped with menacingly sharp claws, extended from the darkness, gripping the edges of the tear, slowly pulling it wider. This was Arianka, the corrupted goddess, stirring from her forced slumber, responding to the command of the Undead Empress.

Adam watched, his head tilted back, the manic grin still plastered on his face. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest, then burst forth into unrestrained, maniacal laughter. It echoed across the frozen battlefield, a sound of triumph and deranged satisfaction.

"Yes!"

He roared, his voice laced with the Empress's distorted resonance.

"Awaken, my Goddess! Come forth and claim your rightful place as my servant!"

He extended his free hand towards the sky, beckoning the monstrosity with a possessive gesture. The laughter intensified, a raw, joyous sound that cut through the silence like broken glass. He had called her, and she had answered. This was his paradise, forged in death and despair, and now, a god would serve as its cornerstone.

The rift in the sky continued its horrifying expansion, groaning as if the heavens themselves were tearing apart. The mask-like face of Arianka receded slightly, giving way to an even more terrifying sight. A towering, spectral form, cloaked in black, began to emerge. It was a figure of immense, unholy grandeur, its long, flowing robes appearing to be woven from solidified shadow and despair. Its skull-like head, with its elongated, pointed nose and haunting red eyes, was crowned by ethereal wisps that seemed to shift and writhe. Thin, clawed hands, sharp as razors, pushed through the opening, followed by more of its impossibly tall, gaunt body. This was Arianka, complete and terrifying, an abomination of divinity and corruption.

She rose further, her form unfurling like a macabre banner against the darkened sky, dwarfing everything below. The nearby buildings, even the grand palace itself, seemed like children's toys compared to her looming presence. The sheer scale of her body was unfathomable. The 'Eclipse-Crowned Vermillion Dragon', a colossal entity that had moments before commanded the sky, would have been a mere snake at her feet.

She was not just large; she was a force of nature, a living testament to divine power twisted into something utterly monstrous. Her movements, though slow and clumsy, conveyed an overwhelming sense of ancient, terrible power, capable of crushing mountains with a casual gesture. The air around her shimmered with latent energy, a suffocating pressure that seemed to drain the very color from the frozen world. Adam's laughter continued, echoing her emergence, a symphony of madness in the heart of a doomed city.

As Arianka's titanic form continued to spill from the rift, a series of System messages materialized, blazing with stark white light against the oppressive gloom that now dominated the sky.

Adam's grin stretched even wider as he read the notifications.

"Twenty percent?"

He murmured, a low, pleased hum vibrating in his throat.

"Even at a mere fifth of her power, she is magnificent! This accursed system trembles before her. It dares to warn, but it cannot stop her!"

The realization that she was currently operating outside System protocols, untracked and unregistered, only fueled his delight. This was unforeseen, an unexpected boon that magnified their advantage. He could feel the raw power emanating from Arianka, a force that resonated with his own corrupted essence, amplifying the Empress's grip on his soul.

This was beyond anything he had anticipated. His gaze, now burning with the Empress's crimson fury, swept over the frozen figures of Drake, Mecha Sun Ja-In, and Jeongu Kim. They were so utterly insignificant now, like ants trapped in amber, utterly helpless before the true power he now commanded. He felt an overwhelming surge of vindication, a cruel satisfaction washing over him. All their struggles, all their desperate attempts, had merely bought him the time to summon an actual god. The irony was exquisite.

He could practically taste the despair that would soon follow. The sheer hopelessness of their situation would break them, and then, he would mold this world into the Undead Empress's perfect paradise. He envisioned endless legions of the damned, a kingdom built on eternal sorrow, commanded by a god who bowed only to her. The thought sent a shiver of perverse pleasure down his spine. The air around him crackled, not with divine energy, but with a palpable sense of triumph and unholy anticipation. He took a slow, deep breath, savoring the chilling silence. This was it… The culmination of everything and the beginning of their true reign.

With a final, guttural roar that seemed to tear the very fabric of the darkened sky, Arianka fully emerged. Her entire monstrous form, cloaked in black, stood tall against the fractured heavens. Her skull-like face, with its menacing red eyes and pointed nose, tilted downwards, surveying the world below with an eerie, predatory stillness. Her long, clawed fingers flexed, as if eager to grasp and crush. And then, she unleashed it.

A horrific, earth-shattering wail tore from her spectral form, a sound that transcended mere noise and invaded the very soul. It was the skill [The Lament of the Goddess Lv15]. The world jolted. The spell of frozen time shattered instantly, and reality snapped back into place with a violent, jarring lurch.

Suddenly, the plaza was alive again, but not with freedom. A crushing, unseen force descended upon everyone present. It was as if the gravity had increased tenfold, pressing down with immense, suffocating weight.

Angela, who had just completed her summoning circle, screamed as her legs buckled. Her body slammed into the fractured ground, the air knocked from her lungs in a painful gasp. Kazue and Katya, moments before suspended by spectral tendrils, now plummeted downwards, their bodies hitting the rubble with sickening thuds, with the sudden, crushing pressure amplifying the impact.

Chloe, Gregor, and Li, who had been struggling against Adam's skeletal constructs, were driven to their knees, then flat on their faces, their muscles screaming in protest as they tried to resist the invisible burden. Emir, already wracked with pain from the cursed spear's grazing blow, convulsed as the newfound weight pressed him deeper into the earth, a choked cry escaping his lips.

Even Konrad, far at the back, supporting himself on his staff, found his stance failing. He gritted his teeth, his arms trembling violently, but the relentless pressure forced him to a kneeling position, his face pale and strained.

Only Drake, Mecha Sun Ja-In, and the summoned copy of Jeongu Kim managed to remain partially upright. Drake, his divine energy and imperial Ki working at maximum output, staggered, his knees bending precariously. He planted his colossal sword into the ground, using it as a brace, his muscles bulging as he fought against the immense gravity, a fresh line of blood trickling from his still-mending gash.

Mecha Sun Ja-In, with his mechanical systems whirring under the extreme strain, sank lower, his metallic frame groaning, but he did not fall. His internal stabilizers struggled, but held. Jeongu Kim, whose blades were poised for a killing strike moments before, was caught mid-lunge. He dug his heels into the ground, his body leaning precariously forward, his powerful legs straining against the unseen force, but he too was brought to a jarring halt, unable to advance further.

Adam threw his head back and laughed, a triumphant, distorted cackle that grated on the ears. He was completely unaffected by Arianka's lament, standing tall amidst the crushed forms of his enemies.

"Pathetic!"

He sneered, his voice layered with the Empress's disdain.

"Did you truly believe you could stand against this? Against a god?"

His crimson eyes swept over the struggling heroes, a sadistic gleam in their depths.

"It's over. No matter how strong you are, no matter what desperate tricks you pull, you cannot fight a god. And now, that god is mine."

The weight of his words, coupled with the immense, crushing gravity, seemed to seal their fate. Despair, a palpable entity, began to seep into the very air of the plaza.

Adam, his face still contorted in a triumphant sneer, finally turned his attention to his severed right arm. It lay on the scorched ground, a gruesome testament to Jeongu Kim's precision. With a flick of his wrist, a parasitic tendril erupted from his shoulder, snaking outward like a hungry serpent. It wrapped around the dismembered limb, tugging it back towards him with casual ease. The tendril retracted, bringing the arm back to the gaping wound.

The severed limb pulsed with dark energy for a moment, then, with a wet squelch, it reattached itself to his shoulder. Threads of pulsing, undead parasitic flesh, almost imperceptible unless one looked closely, knitted the flesh back together with sickening speed. He flexed his fingers, testing their movement, and a slow, satisfied grin spread across his face as it responded without issue.

His gaze then fell upon his cursed spear, which had fallen nearby when his arm was severed. Another spectral tendril coiled, retrieving the weapon and placing it back into his restored hand, with the tip gleaming with malevolent light. He spun it idly, the heavy pressure of Arianka's lament doing nothing to impede his movements. He was completely unburdened, a stark contrast to the crushing struggle of his opponents.

His crimson eyes fixed on Jeongu Kim, who still strained against the immense gravity, his powerful form resisting the most effectively of the three.

"You, in particular."

Adam rasped, his voice dripping with venom.

"You are a true abomination, a monster that defies logic. You have no place in my new world, in MY paradise."

With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged forward. The spear shot out, a blurred line of black and malevolent light, aimed directly at Jeongu Kim's head. However, despite the crushing gravity, the summoned copy reacted with astonishing speed. His katana, shimmering with dark precision, flashed upward, deflecting the spear with a loud clang that echoed unnaturally in the heavy air.

Adam pressed the attack, a furious flurry of thrusts and slashes with his spear, each one aimed to pierce, to break, to annihilate… But Jeongu Kim, his body straining, moved with superhuman grace, his two blades dancing in a desperate, yet perfectly coordinated defense. He parried, sidestepped, and blocked each incoming strike, the clang of metal on metal a relentless rhythm against the backdrop of the oppressive silence. He was pushed back, inch by agonizing inch, but he refused to fall. His movements were precise, always managing to get a blade in the way at the very last second.

"A tenacious pest!"

Adam snarled, his patience wearing thin. This copy was frustratingly resilient, defying the overwhelming odds. He broke off his direct assault and held his spear aloft, then, with a casual flick of his free hand, the [Malzaphir's Forbidden Tome] materialized in his grasp. It pulsed with chaotic energy, an ominous hum barely audible even to his heightened senses. He flipped it open, his fingers tracing lines of ancient, forbidden knowledge.

"No matter… If direct annihilation is too slow, then I shall find a method to erase you from existence entirely. This tome is a fount of solutions."

He muttered with a cold voice, but before he could even begin to channel the formidable power within the cursed book, a blur of motion appeared at his periphery. A sharp, powerful sword, wreathed in the remnant divine flames of the Vermillion Dragon, sliced through the air towards him. Simultaneously, a heavy, metallic fist, charged with raw, unfamiliar energy, punched forward. They were fast, undeniably so, but not fast enough to catch him off guard under Arianka's immense gravitational pull. Adam merely tilted his head, a smirk returning to his face, easily evading both the sword and the fist.

It was Drake and Mecha Sun Ja-In, struggling, but moving. The Divine Cultivator, his body still healing, his muscles screaming under the increased gravity, had found a renewed surge of strength. He moved with immense effort, each step a testament to his sheer will, while Mecha Sun Ja-In, with his internal systems audibly whirring as he fought against the environmental pressure, lumbered forward. The two of them, the divine and the mechanical, were closing in.

Adam's amused smirk vanished, replaced by a snarl of pure fury.

"Insects! How dare you insist on defying me?!"

He shrieked, his voice splitting into multiple discordant layers, a sound born from the Empress's escalating rage.

"You cannot escape! You cannot win!"

He lunged forward, no longer holding back, his cursed spear a deadly blur of black and red as he unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks. His movements were impossibly fast, each thrust and slash imbued with the combined might of his undead, parasitic, and devilish powers.

Simultaneously, the scorched earth around him erupted. Spikes of shadowy, spectral energy, like jagged, obsidian blades, burst from the ground in a furious, chaotic wave. They rose in every direction, aiming to impale, to shred, to corner his three primary opponents. Drake, Mecha Sun Ja-In, and Jeongu Kim were instantly caught in a maelstrom of steel, spectral blades, and surging energy.

At first, they managed to block and dodge. Drake, still wielding his massive sword, deflected spear thrusts with desperate precision, the golden flames around his blade and his golden wings clashing violently with Adam's corrupted aura. He twisted, ducked, and parried with his eyes burning in furious determination, the immense gravity making every parry a monumental effort.

Mecha Sun Ja-In, his metallic body whirring and groaning, shifted and rotated, his armored fists deflecting the spectral spikes and the incoming spear. Sparks flew from his limbs as he absorbed impact after impact, his internal systems fighting valiantly to maintain integrity. Meanwhile, Jeongu Kim, the most agile of the three, became a blur of motion. His two blades carved arcs of silver light, batting away the spectral spikes and intercepting Adam's spear with a terrifying speed that defied the crushing gravity. He moved with a dancer's grace, his body twisting and contorting to avoid lethal blows by mere millimeters.

But Adam's assault was relentless, fueled by unbridled fury and the power of a possessed god. The sheer volume of attacks, both from his spear and the constantly erupting ghostly blades from the ground, was overwhelming. Inevitably, they began to be hit. Drake's fancy clothes were torn by glancing blows from spectral spikes, leaving crimson trails on his skin. Mecha Sun Ja-In's metallic casing sparked and dented, small cracks appearing on his armored exterior. Jeongu Kim, for all his agility, found himself nicked and grazed, thin lines of blood appearing on his pristine uniform.

The hits weren't yet catastrophic, mostly grazes and superficial cuts, but the relentless pressure and the sheer number of attacks made it clear: it was only a matter of time before they took direct, debilitating impacts. Adam's maniacal laughter echoed over the cacophony of the battle, a promise of their impending defeat.

Then, from the bruised and fractured sky, a blinding golden disk erupted into view. It spun with furious velocity, wreathed in luminous, fire-like energy, a miniature sun hurtling through the oppressive darkness. Without a single sound of warning, it slammed directly into Arianka's massive, skull-like head. The impact was direct, a silent explosion of light and force against the monstrous visage... It didn't seem to cause any visible damage to Arianka's impervious form, but the sheer surprise of the unexpected assault was enough. The massive, all-encompassing pressure of Arianka's skill wavered.

And then, with a shimmering ripple that spread outward from Arianka's form, it completely vanished. The crushing gravity that had pinned everyone to the ground, that had strained the three best fighters of the group to their limits, abruptly lifted. The world felt light again, almost unnaturally so, as if a monumental weight had been shed.

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From the direction the golden disk had come, a blur of motion appeared. Meera Kapoor, her body a beacon of radiating energy, soared through the air on one of her floating chakrams, a fierce, triumphant cry tearing from her lips.

"We did it! They're purified! … Wait just a minute more, brother!"

She shouted, her voice echoing across the now lighter plaza. Her body blazed with an inner light, her movements infused with divine grace, clearly using her synchronization with her god, Zha'vrin. Her arrival, coupled with the sudden cessation of Arianka's skill, turned the tide, if only for a fleeting moment.

The immediate relief was palpable, but short-lived. The moment the crushing gravity vanished, Drake, Mecha Sun Ja-In, and Jeongu Kim lunged forward, their target Adam. Their movements were swift, propelled by a desperate urgency, their previous struggles forgotten in the face of this renewed opportunity. But before any of them could reach Adam, something horrific happened. From deep within their own bodies, sharp, black spikes erupted. They burst through flesh and metal, stopping them dead in their tracks with searing pain and brutal force.

It was Arianka's other skill, [Spines of Corrupted Piety Lv15], activated in retaliation or as a desperate defense now that her lament had been interrupted. The spikes, jagged and imbued with malicious energy, caused considerable damage. Even Mecha Sun Ja-In's mechanical body groaned and sparked as the dark protrusions pierced his frame, his internal systems protesting violently.

Adam, seemingly overwhelmed by the rapid turn of events, yet still possessed by the cold fury of the Empress, didn't falter in his focus. His eyes, burning crimson, snapped towards Meera.

"Finish the intruder!"

He shrieked, his voice still layered with that chilling, distorted echo, his command directed at the towering goddess.

Arianka, still momentarily stunned by the golden disk, slowly turned her skull-like head towards Meera. Her long, clawed arm raised, moving with ponderous, yet inexorable speed, aiming to snatch the agile dancer from the sky.

Meera spun on her chakram, narrowly evading the massive grasp. She was quick, almost impossibly so, but even in mid-air, it happened. Black spikes, identical to those that had pierced Drake and the others, erupted from her body, tearing through her skin and robes. A gasp of pain escaped her lips as the corrupted energy flared, causing deep, agonizing wounds. She faltered in her flight, her momentum disrupted, but she refused to fall, fighting through the sudden, intense agony.

The air thrummed with renewed tension, a dangerous equilibrium. Adam watched, with his smirk returning to his face, even as his gaze darted between the three still-moving combatants and the new threat. He had a god on his side, and her powers were already proving devastating.

With a roar born of defiance and agony, Drake pushed through the pain of the dark spikes embedded in his body. His eyes, still burning with divine fury, locked onto Adam. His colossal sword, still infused with the Vermillion Dragon's spirit, was a beacon of golden light against the encroaching darkness. His movements were raw, powerful, and utterly devoid of hesitation.

Separating from the blond, Mecha Sun Ja-In, had his mechanical body whirring and grinding as black spikes jutted from his frame, moving with cold, calculating precision. His internal diagnostics flashed warnings, but his programming overrode them. His target this time was the bigger threat, the goddess Arianka.

Beside him, Meera, though wounded by the sudden eruption of corrupted spikes, found a renewed surge of strength. Her body, still aflame with Zha'vrin's divine energy, pulsed with a renewed determination. Her eyes, filled with focus, fixed on the towering goddess. She spun on her chakram, an ethereal blur, knowing what had to be done.

And then, Jeongu Kim, despite the raw pain of the spikes piercing his body, straightened. His dark eyes, devoid of fear, regarded the colossal figure of the goddess. He seemed to understand the stakes, and with a swift, fluid motion, he brought his two blades to bear. He didn't use any flashy skills, just pure, terrifying combat prowess, with movements that transcended the superhuman, a blur of strikes and evasions as he closed the distance.

The three charged the grotesque goddess, a desperate vanguard against a divine abomination. Arianka, though immense, was slow and her movements ponderous. But her mere presence was a weapon. As they drew closer, the air around her became a minefield of unseen danger. The moment their proximity touched the range of her [Spines of Corrupted Piety] skill, more black spikes erupted from their bodies, each one tearing through flesh and metal, amplifying their pain and hindering their movements.

Mecha Sun Ja-In grunted, sparks flying as a spike pierced a joint, momentarily seizing his limb. But he pushed through, his fists slamming against Arianka's massive, shadowy form. The impacts resonated like thunder, shaking her ancient frame but causing no visible damage. Meera danced, a whirlwind of motion, her chakram slicing through the air, but her attacks seemed to pass through Arianka's spectral form like mist. Yet, her movements, her graceful evasions of the goddess's lumbering strikes, served to divert her attention, buying precious seconds.

Jeongu Kim, with impossible agility, weaved through the raining attacks, his blades flashing. He aimed for specific points on Arianka's mask-like face, targeting the exact same spot repeatedly. His movements were not about raw power against a god, but about precision, about targeting the vulnerability he was creating. He scored glancing blows, not enough to cause significant damage, but enough to rattle the monstrous entity, to keep her attention fixed. The trio fought with savage determination, battered and bleeding, but unyielding. They might not be able to defeat her, but they would, at the very least, stop her.

Meanwhile, amidst the ravaged plaza, the remaining members of 'No Name' struggled to regroup. Chloe, with her face etched with worry, moved with frantic urgency, pulling out her needles. She knelt beside Emir first, her fingers swiftly inserting the needles into specific pressure points around his lacerated face and convulsing body. The boy's screams slowly subsided into choked gasps, the pain suppressed, though not entirely gone.

"Hang in there, Emir… Just hold on."

She murmured, her voice tight with concern. She then moved to Li and Gregor, her nimble fingers working quickly to alleviate their pain and stabilize their wounds from the accumulated damage. Their muscles were screaming, but the needles provided a temporary reprieve, dulling the agony and allowing them to breathe without the immediate threat of collapse.

Katya, still recovering from being choked by Adam's tendrils, slowly dragged herself away from where she had landed. Her scythe was shattered, her body bruised, but her eyes, filled with a cold fury, were fixed on the battle unfolding before her. She got near Kazue to check on her first.

Chloe, tending to the others, turned his gaze to the combat for a brief moment, watching as Meera, Mecha Sun Ja-In, and Jeongu Kim battled the immense, monstrous form of Arianka… A flicker of something close to frustration in her gaze. This is all she could do? Her hands clenching into fists. Medical aid? Suppress pain? She felt a suffocating wave of uselessness wash over her.

Her skills, useless in direct combat, felt impotent against the sheer, overwhelming power on display. The thought chafed at her spirit, a bitter taste in her mouth. She wanted to fight, to help his friends, to save Adam… But she was weak and useless. A healer was what they needed now, but she had never considered herself just a healer. It was a role she resented, a limitation she despised in this moment of desperate need. The feeling of helplessness was a heavy cloak, smothering her usual cheerfulness, replacing it with a quiet, burning frustration.

The brutal dance between Drake and Adam continued, a blur of motion amidst the lingering chaos of the plaza. The blond, still pushing through the pain of the spikes embedded in his body, fought with the raw fury of a cornered beast. His sword, still wreathed in golden flame, clashed repeatedly with Adam's cursed spear, each impact sending shockwaves rippling through the shattered ground. But the possessed boy held a clear advantage. Every so often, the air around Drake would ripple, and another cluster of black spikes would erupt from his flesh, fresh wounds blooming, each one draining his stamina and adding to his mounting pain. Adam was relentless, exploiting every flicker of a wince, every slight hesitation caused by the [Spines of Corrupted Piety]. His spear found openings, carving more and more shallow cuts across Drake's body, drawing blood, chipping away at his divine defenses. The Empress was merciless, her tactics cold and calculated, slowly but surely wearing Drake down.

Meanwhile, the desperate struggle against the corrupted goddess raged overhead. Meera, Mecha Sun Ja-In, and Jeongu Kim fought with a ferocity born of desperation. The woman, a vibrant streak of energy, wove through Arianka's ponderous attacks, her chakram striking the monstrous form, but the hits seemed to pass through like phantom blows once more. The cost of her close proximity to the goddess was immense; more and more corrupted spikes erupted from her body, each one tearing at her flesh, draining her vitality. Finally, with a choked cry, her vibrant glow flickered, and she plunged from the sky, her body crashing onto the rubble-strewn ground below, unmoving... She was out of the fight.

Mecha Sun Ja-In fared little better. His mechanical body, already pierced by countless spikes, began to show severe signs of malfunction. Sparks flew from every joint, his movements became jerky and uncoordinated, his internal whirring transforming into a painful grind. His optical sensors flickered, and a low, repetitive error message began to emanate from his core.

But then, with a terrifying burst of speed and precision, Jeongu Kim executed a counteroffensive. He dodged a sweeping strike from Arianka's massive clawed hand by a hair's breadth, then spun, his twin blades a silver blur. He delivered a ferocious double cut, one blade arcing horizontally, the other vertically, striking the goddess's skull-like mask with impossible force. A piercing shriek tore from the goddess's form, a sound of raw pain. For the first time, visible damage appeared when a jagged crack, thick and ominous, split across the pristine white surface of her mask.

Adam, still locked in combat with Drake, registered the scream. His head snapped towards Arianka, his crimson eyes widening with a flicker of disbelief and then, pure, unadulterated fury. His snarl deepened, a low, guttural growl rumbling in his chest.

"No!"

He screamed, his voice layered with the Empress's enraged echo.

"I will destroy you all! I will annihilate everything!"

The aura around him flared violently, darker, more twisted, promising utter devastation. He would not allow this. He would not lose his god.

After delivering a devastating thrust that buried his cursed spear deep into Drake's shoulder, pinning him momentarily to the ground, Adam watched with a triumphant sneer. A System window shimmered into existence before his eyes, its stark white text a stark contrast to the deepening gloom of the sky.

Adam's triumphant expression shattered.

"No!"

He shrieked, a raw, desperate cry torn from his throat. His entire body trembled, not with power, but with a visceral, unholy rage. He extended his good arm towards the towering goddess, still in the process of being pulled back into the crack in the sky.

"Arianka! Stay! By the command of the Undead Empress, controller of all undead, I command you to stay!"

His voice, though desperate, carried the chilling resonance of the Empress's absolute authority over the dead.

But it was in vain. The System was unyielding. Arianka's colossal body, already being absorbed back into the cosmic rift from which she came, began to disintegrate. Her massive form dissolved into a strange, luminous dust, a shimmering cascade of corrupted matter that flowed like sand through an hourglass. The crack in the sky, her temporary gateway, began to shrink, sealing itself with a horrifying, grinding sound. With a final, agonizing shriek, Arianka's last remnants were pulled back... But not entirely.

The shimmering, dust-like substance, the disintegrated essence of the goddess, streamed out from the closing crack. It didn't dissipate into the wind; instead, it flew with unnatural purpose directly towards Adam. He watched, stunned, as the glowing particles, like a cloud of corrupted starlight, enveloped him. The dust swirled around his face, coalescing and solidifying.

A chilling sensation spread across his skin, and then, a mask began to form. It was Arianka's mask, pale and skull-like, complete with elongated nose and haunting red eyes, hardening onto Adam's own face, merging with his features. His skin stretched, morphing, as the material integrated itself, leaving him wearing the grotesque visage of the goddess he had just tried to command.

He stood there for a moment, unmoving, processing the unexpected transformation, the new power now undeniably his own. It was a moment of vulnerability.

Drake, even with his shoulder pierced and his body screaming in protest, saw the opening. He snarled, ripping his shoulder free from the spear with a superhuman surge of will. Mecha Sun Ja-In had his optical sensors flickering wildly and forced his damaged frame forward, sparks flying from ruptured circuits. Both launched themselves at Adam, wounded but determined to capitalize on this momentary shock.

But the boy's reaction, though delayed, was swift and terrifying. He roared, a sound that now resonated with a deep, corrupted filter, the Empress's voice undeniably intertwined with his own. He raised his arms, and to everyone's horror, the crushing pressure of [The Lament of the Goddess] erupted again, but this time, it was localized solely around him and his immediate attackers. The rest of the plaza remained unaffected, leaving the stunned, injured team members watching in horrified disbelief.

Drake, caught mid-leap, slammed into the suddenly intensified gravity, his legs buckling, unable to reach Adam. He fell to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground, his body immobilized by the impossible weight. Mecha Sun Ja-In, similarly caught, plunged earthward, his joints locking. He crashed onto one knee, circuits groaning, his mechanical arm tearing away from his shoulder with a shower of sparks and snapping wires. The detached limb clattered to the ground, leaving a gaping, sparking wound. His optical sensors flickered, his remaining eye glowing erratically, signifying severe malfunction.

Adam, now wearing Arianka's mask and with his voice totally distorted, didn't hesitate and thrust his spear forward. The cursed weapon, unimpeded by the crushing gravity that held his foes, shot towards Drake. It carved a deep, brutal gash across his chest, just missing his vitals. The blond collapsed completely, pinned to the ground by the immense pressure and the agonizing wound, unable to move, and barely conscious for a second time.

Adam threw his head back, a manic, echoing laugh tearing from his throat.

"Incredible!"

He shrieked, his new voice a chilling symphony of corruption.

"The power of a god, in the palm of my hand!"

His red eyes, shining through the mask's hollows, gleamed with unholy triumph.

Suddenly, Jeongu Kim, despite the wounds left by spikes piercing his body, blurred forward. He launched himself at Adam, his two blades flashing, fueled by an almost inhuman resolve. The possessed boy's laughter abruptly cut short, reacted instantly. He reapplied the localized gravity, bringing the summoned copy to a jarring halt. However, even under the crushing pressure, Jeongu Kim met Adam's spear with his twin blades, sparks flying as steel met cursed wood. They exchanged a series of rapid, desperate cuts, the clang of their weapons echoing unnaturally.

Then, without warning, more black spikes erupted from Jeongu Kim's already battered body. Adam had activated Arianka's [Spines of Corrupted Piety] again. The unexpected pain caused a momentary lapse, a flicker of an opening, and the white-haired boy seized it, thrusting his spear forward.

But even as the cursed weapon pierced the copy of Angela's ally chest, with a final, desperate surge of strength, it managed to pivot. His katana, still clutched in his hand, found its mark, sinking deep into Adam's side. The blow wasn't lethal, but it was precise, causing the boy to grunt, his laughter dying in his throat. Jeongu Kim, impaled but unyielding, remained motionless for a moment, his eyes fixed on Adam, before collapsing, incapacitated, but not gone.

Adam pulled his spear free, ignoring the minor wound. His laughter returned, deeper, more guttural, a sound of absolute, unbridled power.

"Unbelievable!"

He shrieked, the distorted voice of the Empress resonating from his masked face.

"This power is incredible! I can feel them! My ghosts, they're evolving! They're growing stronger, faster, murdering lives and adding more and more soldiers to my ranks!"

He swept his hand across the desolate plaza, a wave of unseen energy radiating outward. He could sense it – the spectral entities he had previously summoned, now empowered by Arianka's presence, were spreading through the city, reaping souls, transforming the living into his undead army. His paradise was taking shape, one death at a time.

Among the scattered and wounded remnants of 'No Name', despair began to settle like a shroud. They watched, horrified and helpless, as Adam, now a monstrous hybrid of human, undead, and corrupted god, reveled in his newfound power. Drake was down, Mecha Sun Ja-In was critically damaged, Jeongu Kim was incapacitated, and Meera was out of the fight. There seemed to be no path forward, no way to stop the Undead Empress and her terrifying puppet. The weight of their helplessness was almost as crushing as Arianka's lament had been.

Then, a figure stirred. Li, despite being almost dried of energy, slowly, painstakingly, pushed himself to his feet. His cybernetic eye glowed faintly, a grim determination hardening his features.

"What are you doing?!"

Kazue shrieked, her voice raw with fear and desperation.

"You'll get yourself killed! There's nothing you can do!"

She knew his limits, knew the extent of his remaining power, and this was clear suicide. Li gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched, but he didn't look back at her.

"I know. I'm not trying to sacrifice myself."

He rasped, his voice hoarse. The words were a lie, even to himself, but he needed to believe it, just for a moment. He knew the odds were impossible. But in this abyss of despair, with everything lost, there was only one path left. A desperate, impossible gamble.

"At this point, all that's left is luck."

He muttered, more to himself than to anyone. Then he raised his arms, his fingers trembling, and two system windows materialized before him, blazing with an ominous, purple light. His face was grim, unreadable, as he activated two Plot Devices at the same time.

A moment passed. A single, agonizing second stretched into an eternity… But nothing happened. The plaza remained silent, save for Adam's echoing laughter and the pained gasps of the defeated. Everyone watched Li, their hopes hanging by a thread, only for it to snap. Did it fail? Was this truly the end?

Adam, still cackling maniacally, took a step towards the prostrate form of Drake, his cursed spear raised high for the killing blow. He would finish this once and for all.

But before his spear could descend, a blinding column of light pierced the heavens, descending like a spear hurled by the very stars themselves. It slammed into the ground just beside Adam with a deafening roar, shaking the already ruined plaza to its core. Dust and debris exploded outwards, forcing the boy to instinctively shield his masked face.

Then, a system window, stark and authoritative, blazed into existence above the impact crater.

Angela, who had slowly pushed herself up to witness the horrifying spectacle, stared at the new notification, her eyes wide with unadulterated terror. Her body trembled, and a single, choked whisper escaped her lips, lost amidst the settling dust and the ominous hum of the new arrival.

"What... have you done...?"